Applications for 1871’s newest incubator are coming in and The Bunker is already attracting great veteran-owned-and-operated startup businesses

Chicago, IL (July 15, 2014) – 1871 and The Bunker today announced that RideScout will be the first official tenant of The Bunker, the new veterans incubator space to be located at 1871 this fall.  RideScout is a mobile app for iOS and Android that helps users get from point A to point B faster.

“1871 is proud to welcome RideScout to The Bunker and to 1871,“ said Howard A. Tullman, 1871 CEO. “Our relationship with RideScout began when as a judge, I was excited to give them the Pitch Award at the Inc. GROWCO Conference in 2013. Since then, RideScout has been a great 1871 supporter, even hosting their Chicago launch in our space. Today, we are excited to officially have them as part of our community and as the first company in the space that is focused on fostering jobs for veterans.“

With cities in the United States being more congested than ever, and with over 78 percent of cars on the road being single rider, RideScout seeks to alleviate the stress of the daily commute, by allowing people to search and compare the most time and cost efficient options for ground transportation. One of the main goals of the company is to end foreign dependence on oil through more efficient and better-utilized transportation options. Working from taxis to public transit to bike share, this Austin-based company is looking to hire 3-4 veterans in the near future to support their team growth in Chicago and has focused in on 1871 as their single Chicago location.

“With a founding team of four Army veterans, RideScout is thrilled to secure a spot at 1871 and The Bunker as we scale our growth in the Midwest,” said Joseph Kopser, Co-Founder and CEO of RideScout. “As we continue to expand and help people discover better transportation alternatives, The Bunker is a platform to help us find talent, connect with investors, and and spread the word about RideScout throughout Chicago and beyond.

The Bunker was announced a few weeks ago in conjunction with Mayor Emanuel and the Pat Tillman Foundation. The new facility seeks to foster opportunities for veterans in the technology space.

“We are excited to announce RideScout as our first portfolio company to call The Bunker home,” stated Todd Connor, Bunker CEO and Operation Iraqi Freedom Navy veteran. “Joseph Kopser and his team have built a great product to change the transportation game here in the United States.  Already, The Bunker is creating a community for veterans, their businesses, and the investor community that amplifies the potential of veterans to create and grow successful businesses.  We welcome RideScout to Chicago, 1871, and The Bunker.”

The Bunker’s application process goes live in August.

About 1871

1871 is an entrepreneurial hub for digital startups. Located in The Merchandise Mart, the soon-to-be 75,000-square-foot facility provides Chicago startups with programming, access to mentors, educational resources, potential investors and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs that help them on their path to building successful businesses. 1871 is the flagship project of the CEC.

About The Bunker

The Bunker will be the Nation’s first Veterans-exclusive technology business accelerator and will harness the leadership experiences of veterans as a strategic differentiator for startup and early stage veteran owned technology enabled businesses. It will be a veteran-operated, veteran-focused effort with a focus on finding and offering entry points into the technology community. The Bunker looks to explore and tap into the significant resources already available to veterans from government organizations while emphasizing and amplifying the skills our veterans have developed while serving in the military.

About RideScout

RideScout is a technology platform that aggregates public, private and social rideshare

on its free iOS and Android apps, allowing people to search and compare ground transportation options on demand and in real time. Hailed as the KayakTM of ground transportation, RideScout shows users transit, taxi, ride share, car share, bike share, carpool, walking, biking, driving and parking in one view. The company is based in Austin, TX, with a Washington, DC, office at startup campus 1776. Please visit www.ridescoutapp.com

RideScout is a mobile app that helps you get from point A to point B faster and smarter. Available for iOS and Android, RideScout shows you real-time information about transportation options that are available right now. Download RideScout and get all transit, bus, bike, taxi, car share, rideshare, parking and walking directions in one view